Evanston City Council approves controversial apartment plan

After a fiery public debate, a mixed-use high-rise proposed for downtown Evanston cleared the local city council earlier this week. Slated for 1450 Sherman Avenue, the 15-story rental project was approved by a narrow 5-4 vote and drew outrage from its opponents, according to Evanston Now.

First unveiled this spring, the 16-story transit-oriented development (TOD) underwent a handful of tweaks based on community feedback including a reduction from 298 to 273 apartment units. The latest version of the plan now includes 15 affordable-rate units—roughly twice the amount required by the city.

The Sherman Avenue project comes from developer Albion Residential and features a gently undulating design by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. In addition to its rental units, the project will also feature 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail, a 192-vehicle parking garage, and a small public pocket park at its southern end.

Among existing buildings expected to be replaced by the new structure is Tommy Nevin’s Pub—a downtown Evanston staple for 27 years. The establishment announced it will close for good on Wednesday, November 22nd, reports Eater Chicago.

Albion Residental

“Getting City Council approval was a long journey, but now the hard work begins,” said Albion vice president of development Andrew Yule. “We look forward to keeping our promises, breaking ground in mid-2018, and delivering a project that will revitalize an important part of downtown Evanston.”

The same developer is also working on a glassy 19-story apartment project in downtown Oak Park. Despite drawing opposition from a group of residents, the project passed the Village Board by a healthier 6-1 margin last month.

• Council OKs Albion high-rise, outrages foes [Evanston Now]
• Updated design for Evanston apartment high-rise [Curbed Chicago]
• Previous Evanston coverage [Curbed Chicago]